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Communities In Schools volunteer knows importance of giving back Dillon, an active fifth grader at Southwood Elementary, has a friend for life in his mentor, Allan Van Meter. Dillon and Allan were matched together two years ago when Dillon was in the third grade. Allan, the minister at Bethany United Methodist Church, first heard about Communities In Schools when Deana Coley, the Principal at Southwood, spoke about the program and the impact it had on the students. The Lunch Buddy program is a mentoring program run by Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County. Students who would benefit from additional adult attention are matched with a mentor, or a caring adult from the community, who commits to eating lunch with and serving as a role model for a student in need. Allan, an active volunteer with world missions and no stranger to giving back, understands the importance of being a mentor. “I love children, and we as adults are role models. It’s who I am as a person and a profession. To reach out in the community and make a positive influence in the lives of young people is important.” Allan’s consistent presence is a constant source of encouragement for Dillon. It’s also something that is impossible to miss when you see the smile on Dillon’s face each week when Allan arrives. “I like to have lots of fun with him. He helps me do more stuff so I can pass and I know he cares,” said Dillon. “When I am with my mentor, I feel great!” Whether the two spend their time talking, playing basketball or soccer, or using the computers, it is clear that the hour they have together each week has made an impression. Three years is just the beginning of the time Dillon and Allan plan on spending together; they both have long-term plans to stay together as Lunch Buddies all they way through Dillon’s graduation! Dillon’s excitement for his mentor is a reflection of Southwood’s support and receptiveness of the CIS program. “The school is super at working with the mentors and any changes in a schedule. They recognize the validity of the program and promote the positive influence it creates within the students,” emphasized Van Meter. “Dillon is just a super individual with so much potential. It’s rewarding to know in some small way, I can care for him, as a mentor, individual and coach. It has been wonderful to see his growth from third to fifth grade. He is more mature and has a desire to succeed and do well.” “I feel I get far more out of being a mentor than I give back. It has been a true blessing.”
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August 2010 Newsletter
Spotlight: Southwood
